Provisions will be made for alternative schools to “absorb” Anamar pupils: CCMS

October 5, 2015

The Council for Catholic Maintained Schools (CCMS) has provided assurance that “adequate provisions” will be put in place for the pupils of Anamar Primary School, should the school close next year, Sinn Fein MLA Megan Fearon has revealed.

Following a recent meeting with CCMS Deputy Chief Executive Gerry Lundy and her party colleague, Conor Murphy, Ms Fearon said she raised a number of concerns on the proposed closure, brought to her by local Councillor Terry Hearty.

“We put it to the CCMS that their handling of the announcement was inadequate and they have taken that on board and undertaken to improve communication with the board of governors. We raised the issue of the closure itself with the CCMS and also the lack of adequate provision in other schools in the area,” she said.

“They have assured us that not only will other schools be given the provisions they need in order to absorb students from Anamar, but that parents will have a choice as to which school their children go to and that choice will be honoured. Provisions will be made available to send children to the school of their parents’ choice.

“We repeated the point of Councillor Terry Hearty that such provisions will have to be up to scratch and in particular pushed for a new school build for Crossmaglen, a capital works build for Glassdrummond and similar improvements and expansions for other schools across the parish.

“We’ll follow up on all these and other education issues across the area to ensure that whatever happens these children don’t miss out on the education they deserve,” she added,